St. Bridget was
born in the year 450 AD at Faughart near Dundalk, Louth, Ireland.
Her name Brigi is celtic for strength or might.
Known as St. Bridget of Ireland (also Bride, Brigid).
She was venerated in Ireland as virgin Saint and noted in miracle stories
for her compassion.
St. Bridget represents the Irish Goddess.
I st Feburary is the St. Bridget feast day.

According to
the legend her parents were baptised by St. Patrick with whom she developed
a close friendship.
Her father was Dubthach an Irish chieftain and her mother Brocessa was
a slave women.
Even as a young girl she evinced an interest for a religious life and
took the veil in her youth from St. Macaille at Croghan and was professed
by St. Mel of Armagh.
She settled with seven virgins at the foot of the Croghan Hill.
About 470 she founded a double monastery at Cill -Dara (Kildare) and
was abbess at the convent as the first in Ireland.
St. Bridget founded a school of art in Kildare and the illuminated manuscripts
became famous.
She was one of the most remarkable women of her times and despite the
numerous legendary, extravagant and fantastic miracles attributed to
her.
There is no doubt that her extraordinary spirituality, boundless charity
and compassion for those in distress were real.
St. Bridget died on the I st February and is buried in Downpatrick with
St. Columba and St. Patrick, with whom she is the Patron of Ireland.

St. Brigid of Ireland, Patroness

St. Brigid of Kildare, patroness of our parish, is also the patroness
of Ireland. Known as "Mary of the gael" and "Virgin of
Kildare", her feast day is celebrated on February 1. She grew up
in the fifth century when the great St. Patrick was Christianizing Ireland.
She became associated with one of Patrick's followers and fellow bishops
and under his authority she became a nun and founded a famous convent
at Kildare. The community grew rapidly and soon her sisters were spread
throughout the land. Brigid is looked upon as the initiator and abbess
of the first women's religious community in Ireland.

St. Bridget`s day

The main significane
of the Feast of St. Bridget would seem to be a christianization of one
of the focal points of the agricultural year in Ireland.
Every manifestation of the cult of the saint is bound up in some way
with food production.
A relaxation of the rigours of winter weather was expected at this time
for according to tradition what the saint had promised.

Gach`re
la go maith

Every
second day fine

O`m
la - sa amach

From
my day onwards

Agus leath mo lae feinigh

And
half of my own day

On St. Bridget`s
every farmer`s wife in Ireland makes a cake called bairin - breac, the
neighbours are invited, the madder of ale and the pipe go round and
the evening concludes with mirth and festivity.
Farmers gave presents of butter and buttermilk to poor neighbours. Some
killed a sheep and sent portions of meat to friends and to people who
needed it.
It was believed that the saint travelled around the countryside on the
eve of the festival, bestowing her blessing on the people and their
livestock.